Page 56 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 December 2004
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receiving joint and cataract surgery. Quality of life can be immeasurably improved with these procedures and as a result of elective surgery being undertaken. We anticipate that this financial year an additional 200 people will get access to joint and cataract surgery.
In addition, the Auditor-General’s report has highlighted the need for a waiting list management policy. I am very pleased to advise members that the government now has such a policy in place. Interestingly, the Auditor-General at this point—
Mrs Dunne: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Under standing order 118A I ask that the minister be concise. The question was: why has the waiting time for elective surgery for categories 1 and 2 increased so badly? So far, the minister has not mentioned categories 1 and 2, and he has been speaking for almost two minutes.
MR SPEAKER: I think the minister is staying in context; he is sticking to the subject matter and the question. I am sure he will come to those issues in due course.
MR CORBELL: Mr Smyth couched his question in the context of the Auditor-General’s report. I want to provide some further context in that regard. It is interesting that the previous Auditor-General made a recommendation to the then government for the need to develop an elective surgery waiting list management policy. The previous government singularly failed to implement this in any way.
We now have an elective surgery waiting list management policy, which will ensure that people get access to surgery in an equitable and timely way. Yes, there has been an increase: there has been an increase in demand; there has also been an increase in the level of throughput. In fact, the level of throughput is at its highest ever. The government will continue to work hard to address those areas where there is still need for further improvement.
Amaroo school
MR GENTLEMAN: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Education and Training, Katy Gallagher. Minister, the Amaroo school recently won a national award from Master Builders Australia, the national environment and energy efficiency award. Minister, what were the design features that led to the school receiving this prestigious award?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mr Gentleman for the question. For the benefit of members of this chamber, the new Amaroo school is a leading new facility in Gungahlin that delivers exceptional educational resources to the young people who attend it and delivers a model for future school developments in terms of environmental standards. In recognition of these excellent features, Amaroo stage 2, primary school, was nominated for an award in the Master Builders Australia national environment and energy building efficiency award—commercial, under $10 million category—in October. The nomination was successful and the award was presented at a ceremony in the Great Hall at Parliament House on 19 November.
The awards are presented to members of the MBA for excellence in various categories of construction. Manteena, which is a member of the MBA, managed the Amaroo building project on behalf of the Department of Education and Training.
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